Timberyard

High quality cooking

Built as a props warehouse in the 1800s before becoming a lumber store, the Radford family's aptly named Timberyard feels perfectly attuned to the space it occupies – monumental in scale but retaining intimacy and humility. Rough white walls, monastic timber tables, ecclesiastical candles and hemp linen may infer a certain cool asceticism – accentuated by the contemporary classical soundtrack – but there are certainly no metaphorical hair shirts where the food is concerned. Rusticity and refinement sit in perfect balance with the joyous celebration of flavours and a messianic elevation of honest ingredients, both foraged and from artisan producers. Slightly distant staff glide between the tables with almost ritualistic purpose. Set menus include an extendable three-courses at lunchtime to fuller five-or seven-course options. An opening scene-setter of beach rose and tomato broth blends the Turkish delight aromas of foraged petals into a redolent consommé, while a raw beef toast masterfully offsets earthy funk with floral freshness. Follow on with tiny girolles in a Comté and hazelnut cream, draped in creamy slivers of guanciale and finished with shaved white truffle. Each dish carefully builds the layers of taste, so a perfectly pan-roasted quail gets just enough sweetness and bite from its smoked onion and wilted monk’s beard accompaniments before harmonising the whole in the savoury creaminess of pan juices cut with black pepper yoghurt. Like so many of the dishes, the apparent simplicity of a raspberry and lavender dessert belies meticulous foundations: perfect fruits, seasoned juice, infused cream and a zingy gel. If you don’t opt for one of the matched drinks flights, then 30-odd pages of all-natural and often unusual wines offer a compendious delight for those with a Mastermind 'specialist subject' interest. There are superlative choices in all categories, but markups are on the ferocious side. The sommelier offers ready advice and the unlisted, daily-changing wines by the glass are well-chosen – even if a measure of trust is expected when it comes to price and style.

3 Rosette Award for Culinary Excellence

Opened by Andrew and Lisa Radford in 2012, Timberyard is now led by the next generation of the family - Ben, Jo and Abi Radford. Set within a striking former warehouse close to Edinburgh Castle, Timberyard has become one of Scotland's most influential restaurants, earning acclaim for its ingredient-led cooking, sustainability ethos and personal approach. Originally built in 1895, the building has served many lives over the years, from a theatre props store to a department store warehouse and, yes, a timber yard. Today, guests enter through the restaurant's distinctive fire-red barn door into a warm, pared-back dining room where exposed stone walls, timber beams, weathered brick and cast iron details reflect the character of the building's industrial past. Drawing inspiration from Scandinavian dining culture, the restaurant works closely with local growers, farmers, fishermen and foragers, celebrating Scotland's natural larder through menus that follow the seasons with precision, restraint and an artistic eye. Much of what is served is made in-house, with ingredients sourced from the kitchen garden and preserved through fermentation, pickling and curing. Sustainability sits at the heart of the restaurant. A zero-waste philosophy informs every aspect of the operation, with a root-to-shoot and nose-to-tail approach extending from the kitchen to the drinks programme. Under head chef Bart Stratfold, whose previous experience includes Coombeshead Farm and Adam Byatt's Bistro Union, dishes are designed to let exceptional ingredients speak for themselves. Seasonal plates might include asparagus with lemon thyme, hazelnut and lardo in spring, or mallard with celeriac, alexanders and sauce vin jaune during the colder months, while desserts draw on foraged ingredients and preserved fruit. The family have extended their reach in the Scottish capital in recent years also now running wine bar Montrose and the more recently launched wine and coffee concept Haze in Leith.